Time control for sound-reproducing mechanism



A. C. DITTRICH.

TIME CONTROL FOR'SOUND REPRODUCING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1918.

1,337,759. Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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n0 2 9 I 0 2 n P A d e m .W a P APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, I918.

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Cl-IECAGG, ELLEN 01S.

TIME CQNTROL F03 SOUND-REPRODUCING MECEL SINZSM.

Application filed December Y, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST C. Drrrnion, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use- :tul Improvements in Time Control for Sound-Reproducing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for antomatically starting a sound reproducing mechanism at a predetermined time.

Anihng the objects of this invention is to provide means whereby one may effect the automatic starting of a sound reproducing mechanism at any predetermined time desired, thus enabling one to be pleasantly awakened in the morning by the playing of his favorite phonograph record instead of being rudely awakened by the ordinary ter rifying alarm; further to so construct and apply such means that the normai operation ofthe sound reproducing mechanism and its parts, unhampered by the automatic ing means, may be instantly had when de sired; further to provide reieasing that will be quick and positive in its action, and that can he quickly and easiiy' connected up with or disconnected from a motor, clocl: or the 1ike;turther to arrange the motor, cioch or the like on a door in the cabinet in such manner that the simple shutting of the door will connect the parts when properly an ranged; further to provide a ile ihle strip which when flexed wili ho I will release "the starting means; f provide novel means for fiexinc the c strip; further provision or such autostarting means that wiii 111 pie, economicai and efficacious than .i tore known, and can he sold a price in the reach oi? all, and he easiiy appiie; Jo any of the phonographs or iilre use in so many homes; and snch furtnero" advantages and capahitities as wiii more fully appear.

My invention further resides he hination, construction and arran iiiustrated in the accompanying draw- COIX1- Specification of Letters SPatent.

Patented Apex 231),

Serial No. 285,684.

ings, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, I desire it to, be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit oi my invention. w

in the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the upper portion of a phonograph and cabinet embodying my invention 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken iateraliy through the cabinet and showing the reieasing mechanism as connected with the starting lever and clock.

3 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner of the phonograph showing the starting lever and ost mechanism.

is a iragmentary perspective view showing the post and connected spring.

Fig. 5 a perspe tive detaii view of the hie detent strip and associated '0 a vertical sectional view t a piano passing through the detent stio a jacent the flexing crank and showin t door supporting tne clock and standing partially open.

F 7 is a "fragment i perspective view of corner of the cabinet showing the slotted post receiving plate slightly removed from the corner of the cabinet.

Referring to the drawings; 1 designates .e ordinary phonograph, Victroia, or the tire, used in most homes, and carrying on ts upper surface the rotatahie plate 2, upon is mounted the dish 3, contacting, which in the usual manner is the pin cted with the sound conveying tube iecting from beneath the scope corner of the cabi t is the j iever 6 provided with a perforation other'suitahie d pression "3, within which the downwardly project 1g end 8 the hook 9 formed upon the upper end of c post 10 post is siidably mounted i openin j a the corner of the cabiand with which opening 11 registers the o1 ening formed in the plate 13 secured in tppopriate position on the top of the cabinet. The pinto 13 is provided with side 1* and Med preferably ninety degrees apart. The corner of the cabinet, as in F 7, is cut out to form the opening 16, which also is preferablyaquarterofa ircle whereby its sides will fall below the outside of the slots 14 and 15.

The post 10 has formed just below the hook 9 the cam 17, and below the cam the notch 18, forming the shoulder 19. Upon the lower end of the post 10 is a pin 20 extending through the aperture 21 of the plate spring 22, which at its opposite end is secured by screws or the like through the apertures 23 to the under side of the cabinet top. The spring 22 normally tends to hold the post 10 in elevated position.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 5 and 6, it will be seen that I have also provided the flexible detent strip 24 extending beneath the cabinet top, preferably at right angles to the spring 22. This detent strip is fixed by means of a screw or the like 25 to the under side of the cabinet top, and is provided adjacent its free end with a notch 26, which is of sufficient size to permit the post 10 to move upand down therethrou'gh when registering with the circumference of the post. Also secured to the under side of the cabinet top are the spaced apart keepers 27 through which the detent strip 24; may slide when flexed between the screw 25 and the nearest adjacent keeper 27. As will be seen in Fig. 5, the notch 26 forms the shoulder 28 which, when the flexible strip 2a is flexed as shown in Fig. 2, will engage the shoulder 19 of the post it) when the post 10 has been suitably depressed to bring the shoulder 19 just below the shoulder 28 prior to flexing of the strip 2%.

As a convenient means for flexing the strip 24, l have shown the crank 29 pivoted at one end in an aperture in the cabinet wall and at the other end in a suitable hearing, staple, or the like, 30. Upon the outer end ofthe crank 29, which outer end protrudes through the cabinet wall, there is formed a suitable finger piece 31 by means of which the crank 29 may be rotated as desired. Associated with the crank 29 and suitably connected with the cabinet wall is the spring 32 normally tending to hold the crank 29 in elevated position, that is, against the under face of the cabinet top.

Formed upon the lower face of the detent strip 24;- and adjacent the crank arm 29 is the hook-like projection 33 which, as clearly seen in Fig. 6, is open at one side whereby when the detent strip 24.- is flexed the hook 34 may be readily engaged therewith to hold said strip in flexed position. Any form of alarm clock is designated by 35. from which the bell has been removed and the 11311111161181! planted by the hook 34-. This clock rro ;ed in any desirable manupon the door so a the door is .ie door is closed, the face of the clock appears through an opening in the door. From Fig. 6, it will be seen thatuvhen the strip 24 is flexed and the 'door swung shut, the hook 34 will readily pass over the shoulder of the hook 33 to hold the strip 24- in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and in solid lines in Fig. 2.

From the above it will be seen that in the operation of my improved apparatus the parts being assumed to be in released posi tion, the starting lever 6 will be swung toward the post 10 and the post depressed to bring the projection 8 of the hook 9 to take into the aperture' or depression 7 of the starting lever, whereby to hold the same against accidental movement into starting position. The post 10 will be held manually in such depressed position and the handle 31 of the crank 29 rotated to flex the detent strip at, whereby the shoulder 28 is carried into contact with the shoulder 19, thus hold-- ing the post 21 in depressed position. The alarm of the clock 35 having been previously set to the desired time, the door 36 is then swung shut to bring the hook 34 over the hook 33 as described above, and the crank released and returned to original position under the influence of spring 32, thus setting the parts in position to be released at the predetermined hour.

At the predetermined hour the alarm will operate and carry the hook 34 out of engagement with the'projection of the hook 33, thus permitting the flexed detent strip at to straighten. which carries the shoulder 28 clear of the shoulder 19, and permits the post 10 to rise under action of the spring 22. As the post rises the upper edge of the cam 17 will engage the starting lever 6 and push the same sidewise a suflicient distance to start the sound reproducing mechanism of the phonograph or the like in operation.

Should it be desired to use the phonograph in its normal manner unhampered by the starting mechanism, the post 10 may be depressed and rotated to swing the cam 17 through the opening 16 from. the slot 14 to the slot 15 when the post is released and the cam rises through the slot 15 under action of the spring 22. As is obvious, this will carry the cam 17 and hook 9 away from th starting lever 6, whereby the lever may operate normally unhampercd by the automatic starting mechanism.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

i. In combination with sound reproducing mechanism, a rotatable table, a flexible strip attached to the sound reproducing i ti e controlled mechanism for iexed, and means oper "51d strip and said table e clock will swing therewith, and

determined time said table will be released for rotation.

2. In combination a cabinet, sound reproducing mechanism, a door in said cabinet, an alarm clock mounted on said door for movement therewith, means in said cabinet capable of being released to automatically start said mechanism, and means for holding said first mentioned means in such position that the closing of said door will connect the alarm mechanism of the clock with said first mentioned means to release the same to start the said mechanism at a predetermined time.

3. In combination with sound reproducing mechanism, a rotatable table, a spring pressed movable member for effecting the release of said table to permit its rotation, a flexible detent strip for controlling said member, and time controlled'means operable at a predetermined time to release said detent strip when flexed, whereby said member may move to release said table.

4. In combination with sound reproducing mechanism, a rotatable table, a spring pressed movable member for efi'ecting the release of-said table to permit its rotation, a flexible detent strip for controlling said member, manually operable means for flexing said strip, and time controlled means operable at a predetermined time to release said detent strip when flexed, whereby said member may move and effect the release of said table.

5. In combination with sound reproducing mechanism, a rotatable table, a spring pressed movable member for effecting the release of said table to permit its rotation, a flexible strip for controlling said member, means for flexing said strip comprising a hand operated crank, and time controlled means operable at a predetermined time to release said detent strip when flexed, whereby said member may move and the release of said table be effected. V

6. In combination a cabinet adapted to accommodate sound reproducing mechanism, an apertured plate on the top wall of said cabinet, said plate having spaced radial slots therein, a post mounted for longitudinal movement in said plate with a cam movable through either of the said slots, said cam being adapted to actuate the starting lever of said. mechanism upon movement of said post in one direction, a spring for moving said post, said cam being in position to engage the lever when in one of said slots and to clear the same when in the other.

7. In combination a cabinet adapted to accommodate sound reproducing mechanism, an apertured plate on the top wall of said cabinet, said plate having spaced radial slots therein, a post mounted for longitudinal movement in said plate with a cam movable through either of the said slots, said cam being adapted to actuate the starting lever of said mechanism upon movement of said post in one direction, a spring for moving said post, said cam being in position to engage the lever when in one of said slots and to clear the same when in the other, said cam being movable from one slot to the other upon depression and rotation of said post.

8. In combination a cabinet, sound reproducing mechanism having a startin lever, a post having means for holding saic lever in inoperative position when depressed and for moving the same tooperative position when moved longitudinally, a spring for normally moving said post to actuate said lever, locking means for holding said post depressed, and time controlled means for releasing said locking means to start said device at a predetermined time.

9. In combination a cabinet, sound reproducing mechanism havin a post having means for Iiolding said lever. in inoperative position when depressed and for moving the same to operative position when moved longitudinally, a spring for normally moving said post to actuate said lever, locking means for holding said post depressed, time controlled means for releasing said locking means to start said device at a predetermined time, and means permitting said post to be rotated to a position where its movement longitudinally will not affect said lever.

10. In a device of the class described, a longitudinally movable member. having a hook on one end adapted to hold the starting lever of a sound reproducing device in inoperative position when said member is depressed, said member also having a cam adapted to actuate said lever upon movement of said member, a shoulder on said member, a spring for moving said member, means engaging said shoulder to hold saidmember depressed and means to release the same at a predetermined time to start said device.

a starting lever,

11. In combination with sound reproducmg mechanism, a turn table, a longitudina 1y movable member adapted to move the starting lever of said turn table into operawhen flexed to hold said post depressed, time controlled means to hold said strip flexed and at a predetermined time to release it whereby said post will move upwardly, said post and said turn table holding means being so associated that upward movement of the post will move said holding means into position to release said turn table.

13. An automatic starting attachment for sound reproducin devices comprising a longitudinally mova le member adapted to move the starting lever of said device to operative position'upon movement of said member, a spring normally tending to move said member, a flexible detent strip adapted to hold said member against movement when flexed and release it when unflexed, and time controlled means for releasing said strip from flexed position to permit it to straighten and release said member to start the sound reproducing device at a predetermined time.

14. In a device of the class described, sound reproducing mechanism, a cabinet for the same, an alarm clock, and means connecting said clock with said mechanism to automatically start the latter at a predetermined time upon release of. the alarm, said means including a post slidably mounted in said cabinet, means associated with said post for releasing the phonograph for operation upon upward movement of the post,

and resilient means for normally causing the post to move upwardly when released by the alarm mechanism of said clock.

15. In an attachment for sound reproducing mechanism, a longitudinally movable post having a cam portion adapted to move the starting lever of said mechanism into operative position when said post is elevated, and means for causing the elevation of said post at a predetermined time to start said mechanism, said means comprising a flexible detent strip for holding said post depres ed when said strip is flexed, a spring normally tending to elevate said post, and time controlled means for permitting the strip to straighten to release said post.

16. In apparatus of the class described, sound reproducing mechanism having a starting lever, and means for automatically starting the same at a predetermined time, said means comprising a longitudinally movable post having means thereon for moving said lever to starting position as said post is elevated, a spring normally tending to hold said post elevated, and a time controlled flexible detent stripadapted to hold said post depressed when said strip is flexed and to release the post when said strip is unflexed at a predetermined time.

17. In apparatus of the class described, sound reproducing mechanism having a starting lever, a movable post adjacent said lever, means on said post for moving said lever into starting position upon movement of the post, a spring normally tending to move said post to operate said lever, means for holding said post away from said lever, said last mentioned means comprising a flexed detent strip, and time controlled means for releasing said flexed strip to re lease said post and move said lever to start said sound reproducing mechanism.

18. In apparatus of the class described, a cabinet, sound reproducing mechanism, a starting lever for the same, a post movably mounted in said cabinet adjacent said starting lever, a spring normally tending to hold said post in elevated position, said post having means to push the starting lever sidewise when moved upwardly by said spring, a flexible detent strip having means for holding said post depressed when the strip is flexed and for releasin the same when the strip is unflexed, means or flexing the strip, means for releasably holding it flexed, and time controlled means for releasing the flexed strip at a predetermined time to permit said post to move said starting lever into operative position.

19. In apparatus of the class described, sound reproducing mechanism, a starting lever for the same, a cabinet, a post movably mounted in a wall of the cabinet and having a projection on its upper end adapted to engage with an aperture in the starting lever when said lever is in inoperative position and said post depressed, said post also having a shoulder and a cam, a spring normally teh'ding to hold said post in elevated position, a flexible detent strip fixed at one end and slidably mounted at the other with relation to said cabinet, means for flexin said strip, a time controlled motor, means or releasably connecting said strip when flexed with said motor to hold it in flexed position, and means on said strip engaging said post shoulder when the post is depressed and the strip flexed, said last mentioned means being moved to position to release said post when the flexed strip is released and permitted to straighten whereby to raise said projection away from the lever and permit the cam under the action of said s ring to move said lever into '0 rative position to start said sound repro ucing mechanism.

20. In a sound reproducing instrument comprising sound reproducing mechanism, a starting lever for the same, and a cabinet, in combination a post movably mounted in the cabinet wall adjacent said lever, a cam and a shoulder on said post, a spring normally tending to move sai post to push said cam toward said lever, a flexible detent strip fixed at one end to said cabinet, a keeper through which the other end of said strip is adapted to slide when said strip is flexed between its fixed end and said keeper, means for flexing said strip, means for releasably connecting said strip when flexed to the alarm mechanism of a clock, and means on the free end of said strip adapted to take over the shoulder on the post when the strip is flexed to hold the post in retracted position and to free the same when the strip is nnflexed. whereby when said flexed strip is 10 released by the alarm mechanism said post is in turn released and the starting lever pushed into operative position by said cam.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST C. DITTRICH.

lt'itnesses:

FREDERICK F. MASON, C. I. SHERMAN. 

